Two men and four support crew will embark on a challenge of a lifetime when they attempt to sail around mainland Great Britain.

Leicestershire duo Fin Mitchell and Stuart Newton set sail from Salcombe next month as they try to raise £100,000 for the Rainbows Children's Hospice.

The 2,000-mile voyage, which is totally self-funded, will take around three months to complete. It is split into 11 separate legs.

Former England rugby coach Clive Woodward, who owns a property in Salcombe, will "cut the ribbon" on June 1 as the team set off on their 18ft Hobie Cat dinghy.

It will be an extremely arduous challenge as the team will have to contend with extreme winds, mountainous seas, equipment failure and fatigue.

Fin, 42, who runs an East Midlands-based commercial property development company, said the team chose Salcombe as the location for the start and finish of the voyage because of his close links with the south Devon town.

He spent numerous school holidays in Salcombe, and in 1978, his father bought a property in the town.

Two crew members will follow the Hobie Cat in a rescue boat, while the remaining members will provide shore-based support such as preparing meals.

Rainbows Children's Hospice, based in Loughborough, is a respite centre for terminally ill children. It relies heavily on donations from the general public and institutions.

A small donation will also go to the RNLI - who provided the Hobie team with invaluable training and safety support.

For more information about the challenge, visit www.hobiechallenge.co.uk.